High-Performance Turboalternator and Associated Hardware. 2 - Design of Gas Bearings

Abstract : The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is conducting an evaluation of candidate Brayton-cycle turbomachinery configurations. As part of this program, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft has designed a turboalternator incorporating a two-stage axial-flow turbine driving an inductor alternator supported on gas bearings. The gas bearings were designed and successfully tested in a gas bearing dynamic simulator by Mechanical Technology Incorporated. Testing of the simulator under full electrical load and under certain electrical fault conditions indicated satisfactory operation of the rotor system.